40 is Number 1: Ronald Reagan Voted Best American President in Recent Poll

Ronald Reagan has yet again topped the nation’s list of greatest presidents, beating even Abraham Lincoln. That’s according to The Gallup Poll, which places Reagan in the top spot with 19 percent of the vote. This is the third time since 2001 that Reagan has received 1st place. He’s also placed in the top three eight times in the past 12 years.

So who made the top 5? Lincoln came in second with 14 percent beating Bill Clinton by just 1 percentage point. JFK followed Clinton’s score with 11 percent of the vote, landing a 4th place spot (which is rare, he usually places in the top three.) Finally, George Washington took fifth place with 10 percent of the vote. And who came in last? Lyndon Johnson, Andrew Jackson and Richard Nixon all received less than .5% of the vote.

Of course, you have to keep in mind that most voters will probably choose more recent office holders to older ones such as Thomas Jefferson or James Madison. Four of the five most recent presidents to hold office landed a spot in the top ten. This is mostly because newer presidents are kept fresh in the minds of voters. For instance, President Obama received five percent of the vote outstripping Franklin Roosevelt and Thomas Jefferson, which in my opinion is just a little hard to agree with.

Party divides were still very evident in the winners, with most voting for the greatest (or most recent) president under the same party affiliation as themselves. However Reagan garnered votes from many independents, who contributed votes to Lincoln as well.